PoorShelf

Forché, Carolyn

2005-04-05T00:29:00.000-07:00

Forché was educated at Michigan State (B.A., 1972) and Bowling Green State (M.F.A., 1975) universities. Thereafter she taught at a number of colleges and universities. Her first collection

Biblical Literature, The medieval period

2005-04-04T23:18:00.000-07:00

By the beginning of the Middle Ages the Masoretes of Babylonia and Palestine (6th–10th century) had fixed in writing, by points and annotation, the traditional pronunciation, punctuation, and (to some extent) interpretation of the biblical text. The rise of the Karaites, who rejected rabbinic tradition and appealed to Scripture alone (8th century onward) stimulated exegetical

Essad Pasa (toptani)

2005-04-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

Essad was the scion of a rich Albanian family. He joined the Young Turk movement in 1908 and became deputy for Albania in the new Turkish parliament. The most powerful of the central native lords, he was given

Aeolian Harp

2005-04-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

(from Aeolus, the Greek god of the winds), stringed musical instrument played by the wind. It is made of a wooden sound box about 3 feet by 5 inches by 3 inches (1 m by 13 cm by 8 cm) that is loosely strung with 10 or 12 gut strings. These strings are all of the same length but vary in thickness and hence in elasticity. The strings are all tuned to the same pitch. In the wind they vibrate in aliquot

Holly

2005-04-01T16:41:00.000-08:00

Any of the shrubs and trees of the genus Ilex, in the family Aquifoliaceae, comprising about 400 species of red- or black-berried plants, including the popular Christmas hollies. They have alternate, simple leaves and single or clustered, small, usually greenish flowers (male and female being usually on separate plants). English holly (I. aquifolium), a tree growing

Astyages

2005-04-01T00:21:00.000-08:00

Akkadian Ishtumegu the last king of the Median empire (reigned 585–550 BC). According to Herodotus, the Achaemenian Cyrus the Great was Astyages' grandson through his daughter Mandane, but this relationship is probably legendary. According to Babylonian inscriptions, Cyrus, king of Anshan (in southwestern Iran), began war against Astyages in 553 BC; in 550 the Median troops rebelled, and Astyages

Ciompi, Revolt Of The

2005-03-30T11:32:00.000-08:00

A struggle between factions within the major ruling guilds triggered

Barante, Amable-guillaume-prosper Brugière, Baron De

2005-03-30T03:41:00.000-08:00

Educated at the École Polytechnique

Flores

2005-03-28T22:14:00.000-08:00

Departamento, south-central Uruguay. The rolling hills of the territory culminate in the east–west-trending Grande Inferior Range (Cuchilla Grande Inferior) and are drained by the Yi River and the Arroyo (stream) Chapicuy Grande. Economic activity centres around livestock raising and agriculture. Sheep ranching is widespread, and wool is a leading product of the

Romanticism

2005-03-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

Romanticism proper was preceded by several related developments from the mid-18th century on that can be termed Pre-Romanticism. Among such trends was a new appreciation of the medieval romance, from which the Romantic movement derives its name. The romance was a tale or ballad of chivalric adventure whose emphasis on individual heroism and on the exotic and the

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation

2005-03-26T04:02:00.000-08:00

Burlington Northern, Inc., arose out of the merger of the Great Northern Railway Company, the Northern Pacific Railway Company, and the Chicago,

Theatre, Western, Theatre of Fact

2005-03-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

A more uncompromising method of bringing social issues to the stage has been Documentary Theatre, or the Theatre of Fact. In this case, the presentation of factual information usually takes precedence over aesthetic considerations. Out of the social protest movement that arose during the years of depression in the 1930s, a unit of the WPA Federal Theatre Project in

Babuyan Islands

2005-03-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

Island group of the Philippines that is a northerly extension of the Philippine archipelago. The Babuyan Islands lie in the Luzon Strait, south of the Batan Islands and Balintang Channel. They lie 20 miles (32 km) north of Luzon across the Babuyan Channel. With a total area of 230 square miles (600 square km), they comprise 24 volcanic-coralline islands, the chief of which are Babuyan,

Argentina, Government

2005-03-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

Argentina is a federal union of 23 provincias and a federal capital district, the city of Buenos Aires. Federalism came to Argentina only after a long struggle between proponents of a central government and supporters of provincial interests. The constitution of 1853 was modeled on that of the United States. The constitution promulgated in 1994 provided for consecutive

'ar'ar

2005-03-22T18:04:00.000-08:00

Town, northern Saudi Arabia, situated in the Northern region at an elevation of 1,854 feet (565 m). 'Ar'ar was developed in the early 1950s by seminomadic people who were attracted by water made available around the Trans Arabian Pipeline (Tapline). Agriculture and livestock raising are the main economic activities. Crops include alfalfa, dates, fruits, and vegetables. 'Ar'ar has a technical

Frederick Augustus I

2005-03-21T14:41:00.000-08:00

Succeeding his father in 1763 as the elector Frederick Augustus III, he brought order and efficiency to his country's finances and administration. In foreign policy, he was neutralist but

Alcalá, Calle De

2005-03-20T19:05:00.000-08:00

One of the main thoroughfares of Madrid. It originates at the eastern edge of the Puerta del Sol (the focal point and principal square of the city) and runs northeast approximately 4 mi (6 km) through the Plaza de la Independencia and the Puerta de Alcalá (a gateway originally built in 1599 and rebuilt in 1778). A broad, tree-lined avenue, it contains government offices and banks and is

Naro-fominsk

2005-03-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

City and centre of a rayon (sector), Moscow oblast (province), western Russia, on the Nara River southwest of the capital. It was formed in 1926 from three villages and textile centres. The town Fominsk was totally destroyed in World War II but later reemerged with its cotton-based industries of the past replaced by a huge silk-weaving combine. Pop. (1994 est.) 60,000.

Rhynchotreta

2005-03-19T06:12:00.000-08:00

Extinct genus of brachiopods (lamp shells) commonly found as fossils in Silurian marine rocks (between 438 and 408 million years old). Its small, roughly triangular shell is prominently ornamented by distinct ridges that run lengthwise to the shell margin. Because of its limited time range, Rhynchotreta is a good guide, or index, fossil for Silurian rocks and time.

Omagh

2005-03-18T23:22:00.000-08:00

Irish An Ómaigh town and seat of Omagh district, Northern Ireland. Situated on the River Strule, Omagh is a market, shopping, and light-manufacturing centre for the district. Traditional crafts (such as table linens and crochet lace) continue to be produced in the town. Tourism is important, and Omagh's numerous festivals and events attract many visitors; the town's West Tyrone Feis annually

Biblical Literature, The modern period

2005-03-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

Following a line marked out earlier by the Spanish philosopher and poet Moses ibn Ezra (1060–1139), Benedict de Spinoza (1632–77) put forward a thoroughgoing reappraisal of the traditional account of the origin of the Pentateuch in his Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1679). In the following century the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskala) brought a fresh appreciation of the Bible as literature.

Pueblo Indians

2005-03-16T23:43:00.000-08:00

The historic descendants of the prehistoric Anasazi peoples (see Anasazi culture) who live in several locations in northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico in compact, permanent settlements known as pueblos (Spanish pueblo, “village” or “town”). Just as there was considerable regional diversity among the prehistoric Anasazi, there is similar diversity,

Firminy

2005-03-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

Town, Loire département, Rhône-Alpes région, southeast-central France. It lies on the Ondaine River immediately southwest of Saint-Étienne. The name, originally Firminiaco signifying “place of Firmin,” was first recorded (971) in a charter given by the king of Burgundy. It is the site of two historic churches, one built in the 12th century, the other in the 16th. Firminy-Vert is a complex

Sileh Rug

2005-03-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Any of a group of semiantique, Caucasian pileless floor coverings woven in the Soumak manner. The typical pattern consists of rows of dragon forms derived from the much older Dragon rugs. In the Silehs the dragon assumes the shape of a block letter S or numeral 2; the tail is represented as a mere line. A motif may be repeated six times and then six times again between the

Neo-sinaitic Alphabet

2005-03-15T17:24:00.000-08:00

Writing system used in many short rock inscriptions in the Sinai Peninsula, not to be confused with the Sinaitic inscriptions, which are of much earlier date and not directly related. Neo-Sinaitic evolved out of the Nabataean alphabet in the 1st century AD and was in use perhaps until the 4th century AD; inscriptions date primarily from the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The chief importance

Atatürk, Kemal

2005-03-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

Vamik D. Volkan and Norman Itzkowitz, The Immortal Atatürk (1984, reissued 1986), is a psychobiography. Lord Kinross (Patrick Kinross), Atatürk: The Rebirth of a Nation (1964, reissued 1998; also published as Atatürk: A Biography of Mustafa Kemal, Father of Modern Turkey, 1965, reissued 1992), is still worthwhile. Abraham Bodurgil (comp.), Kemal Atatürk: A Centennial Bibliography (1881–1981) (1984), is a comprehensive bibliography. Andrew Mango, Atatürk: The Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey (2000), reexamines Turkish sources.

Avalon Peninsula

2005-03-12T20:33:00.000-08:00

Peninsula in southeastern Newfoundland, Canada; it is joined to the main part of the island by a 4-mi- (6-km-) wide isthmus between Placentia and Trinity bays and extends for about 110 mi with a maximum width of 60 mi. Its high point is about 1,000 ft (300 m) on the Atlantic coast south of St. John's, and it is deeply indented by Conception Bay (north) and St. Mary's Bay (south). Probably first visited in 1497 by

Indian Philosophy

2005-03-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

The systems of thought and reflection that were developed by the civilizations of the Indian subcontinent. They include both orthodox (astika) systems, namely, the Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva-mimamsa, and Vedanta schools of philosophy, and unorthodox (nastika) systems, such as Buddhism and Jainism. Indian thought has been concerned with various philosophical problems,

Daendels, Herman Willem

2005-03-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

Daendels was a lawyer in his native town; he led the Patriot Movement there against William V of Orange, stadtholder

Arzner, Dorothy

2005-03-11T04:02:00.000-08:00

Arzner was reared in Los Angeles, where her family owned a Hollywood

Cable

2005-03-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

Electric cables used to transmit information are quite different from power cables, both in function and in design. Power cables are designed for high voltages and high current loads, whereas both voltage and current in a communication cable are small. Power cables operate on direct current or low-frequency alternating current, while communication cables operate

Pereskia

2005-03-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

P. pititache, the native Mexican

Eyespot

2005-03-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

In the green one-celled organism Euglena, the eyespot is located in the gullet, at the base of the flagellum (a whiplike locomotory

Arishtanemi

2005-03-08T06:34:00.000-08:00

While the last two Tirthanakaras may be considered historical personages, Arishtanemi is a legendary figure. Said to have lived 84,000 years before the coming of the next Tirthankara, Parshvanatha, he is believed to have been the contemporary and cousin of the Hindu god Krishna

China, Riots and protests

2005-03-07T15:52:00.000-08:00

On May 4, 1919, patriotic students in Peking protested the decision at the Versailles Peace Conference that Japan should retain defeated Germany's rights and possessions in Shantung. Many students were arrested in the rioting that followed. Waves of protest spread throughout the major cities of China. Merchants closed their shops, banks suspended business, and workers

Ryokan

2005-03-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

The eldest son of a village headman, he became a Buddhist priest at about the age of 17 under the religious name of Taigu Ryokan. When he was 21 he met an itinerant monk, Kokusen, and followed him to his temple, Entsu-ji, at Tamashima,

Hooper, Franklin Henry

2005-03-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

In 1899 Hooper joined the staff of the Britannica, in which his brother Horace, James Clarke, and others had acquired an interest. Franklin Hooper was connected with five editions of the Britannica in the ensuing

Domestication

2005-03-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

The process of hereditary reorganization of wild animals and plants into domestic and cultivated forms according to the interests of people. In its strictest sense it refers to the initial stage of human mastery of wild animals and plants. The fundamental distinction of domesticated animals and plants from their wild ancestors is that they are created by human

Insurance, Business property insurance

2005-03-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

Insurance for business property follows a pattern that is similar in many ways to the one for individual property. A commonly used form is the “building and personal property coverage form” (BPP). This form permits a business owner to cover in one policy the buildings, fixtures, machinery and equipment, and personal property used in business and the personal property

Boniface Viii

2005-03-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

He was unsuccessful in this attempt, but when he learned that Boniface was about to publish a new bull announcing Philip's excommunication, Nogaret, with the assistance of Sciarra Colonna—a bold member of the powerful family—and with the connivance of some of the cardinals, decided to capture the Pope at Anagni, where the Pope was spending the summer. In this he succeeded

Earth, Major geologic features of the Earth's exterior

2005-03-03T23:04:00.000-08:00

David Alt, Physical Geology: A Process Approach (1982), is an up-to-date introduction to the principles of physical geology. Daniel S. Barker, Igneous Rocks (1983), discusses the characteristics of igneous rocks and their relationship to plate tectonics. Marland P. Billings, Structural Geology, 3rd ed. (1972), is a classic introduction to structural geology, which describes the deformation of the Earth's crust. A. Hallam, A Revolution in the Earth Sciences: From Continental Drift to Plate Tectonics (1973), is an excellent historical review of the development of ideas on continental drift, polar wandering, seafloor spreading, and plate tectonics. Arthur Holmes, Principles of Physical Geology, 2nd rev. ed. (1965), is a beautifully written, though somewhat dated, introduction to physical geology. Robley K. Matthews, Dynamic Stratigraphy: An Introduction to Sedimentation and Stratigraphy, 2nd ed. (1984), relates the study of the sequence of layered rocks to plate tectonics. William D. Thornbury, Principles of Geomorphology, 2nd ed. (1969), is a classic account of the shaping of the Earth's surface by natural forces, including a description of the relationship between structural geology and landforms. Tjeerd H. Van Andel, New Views on an Old Planet: Continental Drift and the History of Earth (1985), is an excellent introduction to the ideas of continental drift, polar wandering, seafloor spreading, and plate tectonics from the viewpoint of an oceanographer. Brian F. Windley, The Evolving Continents, 2nd ed. (1984), relates the geology of various parts of the Earth to plate tectonics and the Wilson cycle of ocean-basin formation. Studies of historical geology include Don L. Eicher, A. Lee McAlester, and Marcia L. Rottman, The History of the Earth's Crust (1984); and Carl K. Seyfert and Leslie A. Sirkin, Earth History and Plate Tectonics (1979), which relates the history of the Earth to plate tectonics, especially to the Wilson cycle.

Rio De Janeiro, Protocol Of

2005-03-02T19:22:00.000-08:00

(1942), treaty settling possession of the disputed Oriente region on the border of Peru and Ecuador, arranged by a conference of Western Hemisphere foreign ministers held at Rio de Janeiro. Peruvian forces had occupied the area in 1941, defeating the poorly equipped Ecuadoran army. Initial attempts by the United States, Argentina, and Brazil to arrange a peaceful settlement

Ayrshire

2005-03-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

The county has a concave western coastline along the Firth of Clyde

Chiapas

2005-02-28T23:23:00.000-08:00

Estado (“state”) of southern Mexico. It is bounded to the southwest by the Gulf of Tehuantepec and the Pacific Ocean, to the north by Tabasco, to the east by Guatemala, and to the west by Veracruz and Oaxaca. Much of its territory is mountainous and forested. The mountainous region of the Sierra Madre, in the south, includes a fertile, temperate plateau inhabited by most of the

Lancashire

2005-02-28T23:07:00.000-08:00

The administrative, geographic, and historic counties occupy somewhat different areas. The administrative

Stifter, Adalbert

2005-02-27T01:03:00.000-08:00

Stifter was educated at the Kremsmünster abbey school. He enrolled

Arts, Central Asian, Turkic nomads, Mongols, and Siberian peoples

2005-02-26T03:03:00.000-08:00

This region includes primarily the great open spaces of Central Asia, from the Turkmen desert in the southwest to the Kazak steppes, Mongol plains, and from the Gobi to the vast subarctic Siberian evergreen forests, or taiga, and tundra, or Arctic plains, stretching to the Pacific. The considerable mobility and often close linguistic affinity of the peoples in the

Kathiawar Peninsula

2005-02-25T22:04:00.000-08:00

Peninsula in southwestern Gujarat state, west-central India. It is bounded by the Little Rann (marsh) of Kachchh (Kutch; north), the Gulf of Cambay (east), the Arabian Sea (southwest), and the Gulf of Kachchh (northwest). From the northeast an ancient sandstone formation extends into the peninsula, which has an area of 23,000 square miles (60,000 square km). Most of the sandstone, however, is masked

Arnold, Matthew

2005-02-25T18:18:00.000-08:00

Lastly Arnold turned to religion, the constant preoccupation and true centre of his whole life, and wrote St. Paul and Protestantism (1870), Literature and Dogma (1873), God and the Bible (1875), and Last Essays on Church and Religion (1877). In these books, Arnold really founded Anglican “modernism.” Like all religious liberals, he came under fire from two sides: from the orthodox, who accused him

Coimbra, Pedro, 1o Duque De

2005-02-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

The second of the “illustrious generation,” comprising the sons of John I and Philippa of Lancaster, Pedro was present at the conquest of Ceuta from the Muslims in 1415 and later traveled abroad in Europe,

Pará

2005-02-23T23:01:00.000-08:00

Estado (state) of northern Brazil through which the lower Amazon River flows to the sea. It is bounded to the north by Guyana, Suriname, and the Brazilian state of Amapá, to the northeast by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by the Brazilian states of Maranhão and Tocantins, to the south by Mato Grosso, and to the west by Amazonas. It is the second largest state in Brazil. The capital

Mosheim, Johann Lorenz Von

2005-02-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Departing from the established method of writing

Dubois, Eugène

2005-02-23T06:12:00.000-08:00

Appointed lecturer in anatomy at the University of Amsterdam (1886), Dubois investigated the comparative anatomy of the larynx in vertebrates but became increasingly interested in human evolution. In 1887 he went to the East Indies

Argentaffin Cell

2005-02-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

One of the round or partly flattened cells occurring in the lining tissue of the digestive tract and containing granules thought to be of secretory function. These epithelial cells, though common throughout the digestive tract, are most concentrated in the small intestine and appendix. The cells locate randomly within the mucous membrane lining of the intestine

Madi

2005-02-21T22:55:00.000-08:00

Primarily hoe cultivators with millet as their staple crop, the Madi also fish, hunt, and keep cattle; smithing is an important

Dow Jones Average

2005-02-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

Stock price average computed by Dow Jones & Company. The averages are among the most commonly used indicators of general trends in the prices of stocks and bonds in the United States. Dow Jones & Company, a financial news publisher founded by Charles Henry Dow and Edward D. Jones, began computing a daily industrials average in 1897, using a list of 12 stocks and dividing their

Gravity, Centre Of

2005-02-20T17:03:00.000-08:00

In physics, imaginary point in a body of matter where, for convenience in certain calculations, the total weight of the body may be thought to be concentrated. The concept is sometimes useful in designing static structures (e.g., buildings and bridges) and in predicting the behaviour of a body when it is acted on by external accelerating forces. Although the term centre

Wage And Salary

2005-02-20T03:33:00.000-08:00

The bargaining theory of wages holds that wages, hours, and working conditions are determined by the relative bargaining strength of the parties to the agreement. Smith hinted at such a theory when he noted that employers had greater bargaining strength than employees, because it was easier for employers to combine in opposition to employees' demands and also

Adangme

2005-02-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

The chief Adangme occupation is farming, based on the huza system, in which a tract of land is purchased

Xavier, Saint Francis

2005-02-18T06:57:00.000-08:00

Spanish San Francisco Javier, or Xavier the greatest Roman Catholic missionary of modern times, who was instrumental in the establishment of Christianity in India, the Malay Archipelago, and Japan. In Paris in 1534 he pronounced vows as one of the first seven members of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits

Close, Chuck

2005-02-18T02:41:00.000-08:00

Close began taking art lessons as a child and at age 14 saw an exhibition of Jackson Pollock's abstract paintings, which helped inspire him to become a painter. He studied at the University of Washington

Crocodile

2005-02-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

The

Siculi

2005-02-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

English Sicels , Greek Sikeloi ancient Sicilian tribe that occupied the eastern part of Sicily. Old tales related that the Siculi once lived in central Italy but were driven out and finally crossed to Sicily, leaving remnants behind—e.g., at Locri. They are hard to identify archaeologically, although some words of their Indo-European language are known. The Siculi lived in independent towns; thus,

Adams, Douglas Noël

2005-02-16T01:25:00.000-08:00

British novelist (b. March 11, 1952, Cambridge, Eng.—d. May 11, 2001, Santa Barbara, Calif.), was the creator of the satiric science-fiction whimsy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which first saw life as a radio series and then became a book, a television series, a play, record albums, comic books, and a computer game, gaining cult status along the way. The book and its sequels feature British

Haakon Ii Sigurdsson

2005-02-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

On the death of his uncle King Eystein II in 1157, the 10-year-old Haakon received the support of Eystein's partisans against the rival king, Inge I, whom they finally defeated and killed in 1161. In 1162, however, the supporters of another pretender, Magnus Erlingsson, defeated the forces of the boy-king Haakon and killed him.

Anzali, Bandar-e

2005-02-13T22:39:00.000-08:00

Founded in the early 19th century, the town lies on both sides of the entrance to Mordab Lagoon. It was occupied by the Russians in 1920; they declared a Soviet Republic of Gilan, but that entity

Gwalior

2005-02-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

The old city of Gwalior centres on a walled fortress, one of the most famous in India,

Mountain

2005-02-12T23:04:00.000-08:00

Mountain belts differ from one another in various respects, but they also have a number of similarities that enable Earth scientists to group them into certain distinct categories. Each of these categories is characterized by the principal process that created a representative belt. Moreover, within individual belts different tectonic processes can prevail

Baraita

2005-02-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Baraitha (Hebrew: “Outside Teaching,” or “Exclusion”), plural Baraitot, Baraitoth, or Baraithoth, any of the ancient oral traditions of Jewish religious law that were not included in the Mishna (the first authoritative codification of such laws). The Baraitot that are found dispersed singly throughout the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds are often recognizable by such introductory words as “it was taught” or “the rabbi taught.” Other Baraitot are found in independent

Aeschylus

2005-02-10T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Oresteia trilogy consists of three closely connected plays, all extant, that were presented in 458 BC. In Agamemnon the great Greek king of that name returns triumphant from the siege of Troy, along with his concubine, the Trojan prophetess Cassandra, only to be humiliated and murdered by his fiercely vengeful wife, Clytemnestra. She is driven to this act partly by a desire

Biblical Literature, Eastern Orthodoxy

2005-02-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

The first Christians were Jews, and they worshipped along with other Jews in the synagogue. The earliest Gentile converts also attended the synagogue. When Christians met outside the synagogue, they still used its liturgy, read its Bible, and preserved the main characteristics of synagogue worship. Every historic liturgy is divided into (1) a Christian revision of

Appalachian Orogenic Belt

2005-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

An old mountain range that extends for more than 3,000 km (1,860 miles) along the eastern margin of North America from Alabama in the southern United States to Newfoundland, Canada, in the north. The geosynclinal theory of mountain building was first worked out in the Appalachians by James Dana and James Hall in the late 19th century; today a plate tectonic theory is invoked. The earliest

Manawatu River

2005-02-08T22:51:00.000-08:00

River, in south-central North Island, New Zealand, rising on the east slopes of the Ruahine Range. The river, 113 miles (182 km) long, flows west and southwest for 30 miles (48 km) to Woodville and turns sharply northwest to pass between the Ruahine and Tararua ranges through the 4-mile- (6.4-kilometre-) long Manawatu Gorge. Emerging from the gorge at Ashhurst, the river runs southwest past Palmerston

Antarctica

2005-02-08T21:20:00.000-08:00

Ice averaging 2,160 m (7,087 ft) in thickness covers 98% of the continent of Antarctica, which has an area of 14 million sq km (5.4 million sq mi). There is no indigenous human population. Human activity consists mainly of scientific research at approximately 40 year-round stations and additional summer-only camps; the population is about 4,100 in summer and 1,000 in winter. In addition, several thousand

Hilarion Of Kiev

2005-02-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

A priest, Hilarion became the second archbishop of Kiev, the chief city in Rus at that time. Although Kievan bishops had all previously been appointed by the patriarch of Constantinople, Hilarion was chosen by Prince Yaroslav I the Wise and an assembly

Xavier University

2005-02-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

Private, coeducational institution of higher learning in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. It is affiliated with the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic church. The university comprises colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, and Social Sciences. In addition to undergraduate studies, Xavier offers about 25 master's degree programs, notably in the fields of education

Kilgore

2005-02-06T01:23:00.000-08:00

City, on the Gregg-Rusk county line, northeastern Texas, U.S., about 50 miles (80 km) west of the border with Louisiana. The city is part of the Longview-Kilgore-Gladewater-Tyler oil complex in the middle of the East Texas oil field. In 1871 Judge C.B. Kilgore settled the site, which was then the terminus of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Lumber and cotton became the chief sources of income,

Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation

2005-02-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

American electronics company that shares credit with Texas Instruments Incorporated for the invention of the integrated circuit. Founded in 1957 in Santa Clara, California, Fairchild was among the earliest firms to successfully manufacture transistors and integrated circuits. Headquarters now are in South Portland, Maine, while research and production facilities

Islamic World, The emergent Islamic civilization

2005-02-05T01:27:00.000-08:00

During the caliphate of 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (ruled 685–705), which followed the end of the second fitnah, and under his successors during the next four decades, the problematic consequences of the conquests became much more visible. Like their Byzantine and late Sasanian predecessors, the Marwanid caliphs nominally ruled the various religious communities but allowed the

Abbott, Diane

2005-02-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

In full Diane Julie Abbott British politician, the first woman of African descent elected to the House of Commons. Abbott's parents, originally from Jamaica, immigrated to the United Kingdom in the early 1950s. She was educated at Harrow County Grammar School for Girls and received a degree in history from the University of Cambridge in 1973. Abbott worked as a civil servant

China, Animal life

2005-02-03T06:03:00.000-08:00

Profusion of vegetation and a variety of relief have fostered the development of a great diversity of animal life and have permitted the survival of animals that elsewhere are extinct. Notable among such survivals are the great paddlefish of the Yangtze, the small species of alligator in eastern and central China, and the giant salamander (related to the Japanese

Disasters

2005-02-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

January 8, Charlotte, N.C. A commuter plane, a Beechcraft 1900 twin-engine turboprop operated by US Airways Express, crashes into a hangar on takeoff, killing 21 passengers and crew members; the cause of the crash is believed to be

Nahman Ben Simhah Of Bratslav

2005-02-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

The great-grandson of the Ba'al Shem Tov, the founder of the Hasidic movement, Nahman was an ascetic from childhood. Married at age 13, he became a self-appointed religious leader and teacher at about age 20. After studying (1798–99) in Tiberius,

Cartago

2005-02-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

City, east-central Costa Rica. Lying at 4,720 feet (1,439 m) above sea level, the city is located on the fertile Central Plateau, at the foot of Irazú Volcano. Cartago was founded in 1563 and was the capital of Costa Rica until 1823. There are, however, no authentic colonial buildings since the town was attacked repeatedly by pirates during the 17th century and has also been damaged severely by earthquakes.

Visser 't Hooft, Willem Adolph

2005-02-01T00:18:00.000-08:00

Visser 't Hooft was educated at the Haarlem Gymnasium and prepared for the ministry of the Netherlands Reformed Church at the University of Leiden. His long career as a leader of Christian organizations began with the post of

Ekoi

2005-01-31T23:09:00.000-08:00

Group of peoples situated in extreme southeastern Nigeria and extending eastward into neighbouring Cameroon. Ekoid Bantu languages are spoken by many groups, including the Atam, Boki, Mbembe, Ufia, and Yako. The Ekoi live in proximity to the Efiks of southeastern Nigeria and claim to have migrated from the north to that area. The inhabitants of Kwa, located near Calabar,

Hawaii

2005-01-31T09:10:00.000-08:00

Hawaii was characterized

Asia

2005-01-29T16:21:00.000-08:00

The world's largest and most diverse continent. It occupies the eastern four-fifths of the giant Eurasian landmass. Asia is more a geographic term than a homogeneous continent, and the use of the term to describe this vast area always carries the potential of obscuring the enormous diversity among the the regions it encompasses. Asia has both the highest and the lowest

China, Readjustment and recovery

2005-01-29T15:52:00.000-08:00

Mao's death and the purge of the Gang of Four left Hua Guofeng (Hua Kuo-feng), a compromise candidate elevated by Mao in the wake of the purge of Deng Xiaoping, as the official leader of China. Hua tried to consolidate his position by stressing his ties to Mao and his fidelity to Mao's basic ideas, but many others in the top leadership wanted to move away from precisely these

Foreign Legion

2005-01-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

French Légion Étrangère, a military corps consisting originally of foreign volunteers in the pay of France but now including large numbers of Frenchmen. Its officers are nearly all from the French army, and a foreign-born legionnaire becomes eligible for French citizenship after serving one enlistment (five years) with good conduct. Upon enlistment the recruit takes an oath to serve not

Chédiak-higashi Syndrome

2005-01-28T03:21:00.000-08:00

Persons with Chédiak-Higashi syndrome experience persistent or recurrent infections. Other symptoms associated with the disease include enlargement of the liver and spleen, partial albinism, and depressed activity

Conscientious Objector

2005-01-27T23:55:00.000-08:00

Conscientious

Chi-an

2005-01-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

Chi-an's history goes back to the foundation there,

Shammai Ha-zaken

2005-01-26T21:23:00.000-08:00

Little is known about Shammai's life. He became av-bet-din (“presiding justice”) of the Great Sanhedrin during the time that Hillel was nasi (president). Like Hillel,

Wiesel, Torsten Nils

2005-01-25T22:48:00.000-08:00

Swedish neurobiologist, corecipient with David Hunter Hubel and Roger Wolcott Sperry of the 1981 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. All three scientists were honoured for their investigations of brain function, Wiesel and Hubel in particular for their collaborative studies of the visual cortex, which is located in the occipital lobes of the

Nigeria, Igbo Ukwu

2005-01-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

The bronzes found at Igbo Ukwu, which have been dated to about AD 900, reveal not only a high artistic tradition but also a well-structured society with wide-ranging economic relationships. Of particular interest is the source of the copper and lead used to make the bronzes, which may have been Tadmekka in the Sahara, and of the coloured glass beads, which may have come from

Chile, The northern desert

2005-01-25T03:59:00.000-08:00

This region experiences an aridity that is primarily caused by the dry subsidence created by the South Pacific high pressure cell and the stabilizing action of the cold Peru Current. Although the air along the coast is abnormally humid, it never reaches saturation point; at most, there is a development of coastal fogs (garúa or camanchaca). Besides the lack of rain,

Pappus Of Alexandria

2005-01-24T04:27:00.000-08:00

The most important mathematical author writing in Greek during the later Roman Empire, known for his Synagoge (“Collection”), a voluminous account of the most important work done in ancient Greek mathematics. Other than that he was born at Alexandria in Egypt and that his career coincided with the first three decades of the 4th century AD, little is known about his life.

Wildland Fire

2005-01-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

Fire danger in a wildland setting varies with weather conditions: drought, heat, and wind participate in drying out the timber or other fuel, making it easier to ignite. Once a fire is burning, drought, heat, and wind all increase its intensity. Topography also affects wildland fire, which spreads

Corbeil-essonnes

2005-01-23T17:17:00.000-08:00

Town, Essonne département, Paris region, north central France, at the confluence of the Seine and Essonnes rivers, just southeast of Paris. Corbeil and Essonnes, formerly separate towns, were united in 1951. Corbeil (ancient Corbilium) has a 14th-century gate and the medieval church of Saint-Spire (originally an abbey). An independent county in the Carolingian period, it was annexed